Islands In The Sky
by Miss Yvonne Hartman
Summary: Tess is back in Louisiana for Christmas. Oliver, Lois and Clark decide to follow. Tollie/Clois/Sarah Mercer


_Islands in the Sky_

Tess is back in Louisiana for Christmas. Oliver, Lois and Clark decide to follow. Tollie/Clois/Sarah Mercer

Very Strong T. I don't own Smallville.

In this fic I'm ignoring the whole adopted/Luthor identity crisis. This is as if the Mercer's were her real parents.

Works that inspired me included The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (both book and film), _Incredibly Loud and Extremely Close_ by Jonathon Safran Foer, and the song they are all dancing to at the end is _The Last Dance_ by Claire McGuire.

AN: Having Déjà vu? I have given all my works an edit, spit and polish and reposted, so enjoy and please review – Y xx

* * *

"Hi, I'm here, sorry I'm late, my flight was delayed." Tess Mercer said, closing the front door behind her and dropping down her bag. "Mama?" she called, hearing silence in return. She walked through to the kitchen and smiled as she stopped on the porch. Sarah Mercer was out in the garden, dead heading the fading roses that were in neat rows at the perimeter of the back porch, a tall glass of what ginger beer and bourbon was on the trellis table. Tess took a sip - Definitely bourbon, and actually quite nice – and the shouted for her mother's attention, "Hey mum!"

"Darling!" Sarah exclaimed when she saw her titian haired daughter watching her. She shed her gloves and ascended the steps, enveloping the young woman in a hug. "How are you? Good flight?"

Tess swallowed and nodded, trying to force the stiffness out of her limbs as she moved to return her mother's embrace. Their relationship was strained, awkward. She had long learnt to stand on her own without her. She'd had to. Tess had been so young when Sarah Mercer walked out on her and her father, and she only returned sporadically in the years before she was accepted into Harvard. Despite the distant years, she still felt a sense of duty and a fervent desire to be loved by the woman.

"It was uneventful. Merry Christmas." Tess said as she extracted herself from her mother's arms. "Mama, you've really fixed the place up." She commented on the tidy garden that looked out to the bayou, complete with its own jetty extending into the water. She remembered long childhood summers swimming and running wild with no shoes on.

Sarah nodded. "Come inside, dear, I'll make you a drink. Bet you need once after your long flight."

Tess nodded, following back into the house. She didn't want to mention that she had had a fantastic, smooth flight in a private jet watching the Harry Potter movies. It seemed unfair. Her mother needs a holiday, Tess mused, noting the fine grey hairs starting in Sarah's hairline. For her birthday, she'll send her to Paris.

"Well, do you notice anything different?" Sarah asked hopefully. Tess looked around the living room but really couldn't see anything dramatic.

"Um…"

"I redecorated." She explained, and pointed out the changes. Now that Tess was aware of it, she could see how it was different. With her husband gone, Sarah had been free to clean the house, repaint and decorate. It was lovely now. Not to Tess' taste, she preferred blacks, creams, lots of glass and the scream of expensive. But it was still pleasant. "Watcha havin' hun? Ramos Gin Fizz or Bourbon Milk Punch?"

She contemplated. She had vague memories of Bourbon Milk Punches being used in her childhood to knock her out after nightmares or when she couldn't sleep for storms, parties or sugar highs. "Nah I'll have a Vieux Carré, thanks." She chose, examining the collection of bottles. She noted that her Louisiana accent was already creeping back over her speech pattern.

"Cheers." They clinked glasses and drank in silence. Mama why did you leave me? Tess wanted to ask but in the time it took to sum up the courage to ask, she was interrupted by the door knocker rapping against wood. She swivelled to look to the front door, "are we expecting anyone?" Sarah shook her head.

Tess put her drink down and went to answer the door, gasping in surprise and horror when she realised that the three people standing on her doorstep where not salesmen, neighbours or Jehovah Witnesses, but Oliver Queen, Lois Lane and Clark Kent, who was holding a ham.

"Hi Mercy." Oliver said, giving her a dashing love-me-give-me-what-I-want smile.

Tess choked on her spit, swallowed, and glared. "What the Hell are you three doing here?"

"Seriously, Tess, you live in the hardest to find house ever! We got lost four times and that was just coming up the driveway." Lois exclaimed dramatically, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder.

"No, really. What the fuck are you doing here?" Tess repeated.

Clark stepped forward, pressing the bag of ham into Tess' hands. "Well, we decided it wasn't fair for you to be stuck by yourself for Christmas. We've decided to join you. And I got you a ham."

"Merry Christmas!" Oliver kissed her cheek as he stepped past. The place where his lips hit her skin flared with sparkles.

"Tessie? Who's at the door?" Sarah asked as she appeared behind Tess. "bless my soul, Oliver darling I haven't seen you in years!" she enveloped Oliver in a hug, crushing him against her breast.

"Mama please, you're embarrassing me!" Tess hid half her face by her hands as Oliver extracted himself and kissed the back of her hand, saying something corny about Sarah and Tess still looking more like sisters than mother and daughter.

"Hi Mrs Mercer." Said Clark, "I bought a ham."

Sarah gave a puzzled expression that mirrored Tess' perfectly as she drew away from Oliver. "Lovely, but why? Are these your friends, Tess?"

"No." Tess scowled, crossing her arms.

Lois looked meaningfully at the red head. "Come on, it's Christmas, Tess."

"My mother always said it was rude to show up empty handed. I thought since you'd be having extra for Christmas, we should bring food. We have plenty." Clark was still talking about the bloody ham and Tess was going pale with barely suppressed rage.

"Yeah, I practically bought out Macy's entire stock of festive hampers." Said Oliver with a smile, he was clearly finding the bright side in the situation.

"And you don't see the irony of showing up, unannounced and uninvited to Christmas at my house. With my mother?" She asked Clark, her voice reaching the deadly tones that usual came into play before fired or murdered someone.

Sarah put her hand on Tess' arm. "It's fine, baby girl. It's Christmas after all." She smiled at Lois, who grinned back.

Tess took a deep breath. "You know, I'm going to call you a cab."

"We have a car."

"You have a car! Good, get in it!"

"Tessie, why don't you ever tell me how gorgeous your friends were? I'm Sarah, how ya doing honey?" she said, grinning at Clark, who blushed and looked at his feet.

"Oh God. Please, someone tell me this isn't happening. And it's definitely not happening on national television." She half expected to see television cameras hiding in her front garden.

"Seriously. What's with the accent?" Lois questioned Tess' southern inflection on her words.

Oliver stepped forward, preventing the redhead from drawling out an insult by slinging an arm around her shoulders and holding her there, mostly by sheer force. "Yeah we ironed that out of her speech pattern long ago. French lessons."

"Oh." Lois smiled. "cool."

Tess wrenched herself out of Oliver's grip, took a deep breath and motioned with her arms, as if herding the lot of them together and pushing them towards a room off the hallway. "Ok. You know what. I'll play along." She said, closing the door behind her. The group looked around.

"Wow, is this your room?" Lois asked, taking in the teenage décor of posters of photographs wedged into the mirror between frame and glass.

"So since it's Christmas I'll be kind and let you all stay, but you have to chip in and help with the preparations. You _cannot_ on pain of death mention Luthorcorp, Watchtower or what I did with the sweater she sent me last year, _comprende_?"

"Yes, Tess." The echoed dutifully.

"Good. Now sit there and shut up while I go talk to my mother. Maybe this will all be a horrible dream and I'll wake up and find I haven't left Metropolis yet." And she slammed the door with force.

Outside in the corridor, Tess shut her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. She wouldn't have minded if it had been just Oliver who had shown up. She would have played up her annoyance at his presence for the fun of winding him up a bit, but she would have loved to spend time with him. There was still so much unfinished business between them.

She heard a burst of laughter from behind her closed bedroom door and looked at it with undisguised longing. She wished she could be a part of their friendship flawlessly, not her current awkward, unappreciated and suspicious lingering on the outskirts. She hated Oliver's disappointment, Clark's tentative mistrust and Lois' contempt. She even hated Chloe Sullivan for disappearing in that moment and lumping all the responsibility and headaches onto her.

"Tessie?" she heard her mother call and pushed herself back into the real world, trying to dispel all the darkness out of her heart. "Coming mama."

She found Sarah in the kitchen. "Honey I need some help, we have three days till Christmas and I need to get the food prepared so that we'll have an easier time."

Tess nodded. "I'm sorry about them. I don't even know how they got our address. I bet you ten bucks it was all Oliver's evil plan." She glared darkly at the toaster.

"Oliver? Oh he's so cute, Tessie. Why the hell did you ever leave him?"

Tess coughed. "Why did I leave him? Why did _I _leave _him_?" she started laughing maniacally. "You have no idea how happy I am now." She deadpanned. "We were… a long time ago."

"Well I think you were silly to let him go. Is he single? I'll put the mistletoe over the back door, alright, you remember that?" she winked and gave Tess' a sharp rap on her hip as she passed her.

"Mother you're impossible." Tess muttered. "You really have no idea, do you, what my life is like?" she suddenly felt like she was about to cry and worked hard to fight it.

Sarah turned and looked back at her daughter. "No. You could talk me, honey, you can tell mama."

Tess sniffed and shook her head, "you wouldn't understand. You wouldn't care. You didn't care when I was growing up so why would now be any different." She didn't give Sarah a chance to counter, as she kept talking, "anyway. I'll go get our guests to help with dinner. We'll do it, you can rest. And then I'll sort out where everyone can sleep."

Tess stepped past her and returned to her bedroom, but not before she got a flash of the hurt in Sarah Mercer's blue eyes and felt guilty in response.

XxX

"Hey. You are very talented!" Lois smiled as Tess walked into her room. She was holding up some of Tess' sketches and watercolours, and the red head took them off her and shoved them out of sight under the bed.

"Would you guys mind helping prep dinner for tonight and tomorrow? I need some extra hands." She asked.

"Yeah of course, Tess." They responded enthusiastically.

"So where is everyone sleeping?" Lois asked, falling into step beside Tess. The two men went ahead and started bringing the hampers and presents in from the car. "And look, Tess, I know you and I don't always get to be best friends, but I'm really hoping this can… you know, be a good time to get to know each other." Lois' eyes looked honest and hopeful. Tess bit her lip and looked at the floor.

"You want to be my friend?" she whispered, humbled. "Lois…" She had a sudden horrible thought, "who the Hell is looking after Watchtower? Oh my God, where's my phone?"

"Relax. John Jones is on it, Carter's on patrol and Star Girl is as well. It's all under control." Lois reassured her.

Tess nodded again, not exactly calmed by the news. "Ok. Well, I was planning to have my room. You and Clark can have the guest room; I'll just get you some linen and stuff."

"And where am I sleeping?" Oliver asked, setting several baskets of gourmet food down on the dining table.

Tess pinned him with fiery green eyes and said, her voice dripping with irony, "Oliver you're sleeping on the couch!" and Lois laughed at him, taking the hamper from his hands and following Tess into the kitchen. The redhead was already unwrapping the packaging on one hamper and taking stock of the contents. "Well, this is nice. I'm guessing you selected this one because it's for _chocolate lovers_?"

"Yeah." Lois smiled, "Here, Quince paste. Apparently it's nice on ham." Tess ran a distracted hand through her hair, it dazzled in the light and she took the jar from Lois. "I uh… I'm sorry if this is an added stress."

Tess looked up sharply, and then looked away. "You think? I was expecting to have a nice quiet Christmas. My mother and I… we've been a bit estranged really, I haven't seen her for a very long time and we've only just started doing this Christmas thing for the past few years after my father died. It's… not the best time of the year for me." She sighed, "But I will be fine. You guys are… welcome… ish. Sorry I was rude."

Lois started laughing, then sobered. "We'll be no trouble. You won't even notice we're here."

Tess rolled her eyes, "I will." and returned to opening the hampers.

"Oh God, I saw this woman while we were shopping with the most gorgeous Chanel handbag." Lois gushed, trying to force some conversation between her and Tess as they opened the hampers. Tess was sorting space in the refrigerator out and took a moment to respond.

"Yes, they have some lovely styles."

"Do you have Chanel?"

"…Yes… a few…" she said slowly, biting her lip. Seventeen handbags and two cashmere cardigans.

Lois sighed. "I always wanted a Chanel bag. My, er, my mother loved Chanel." Tess smiled, a little sad.

Tess looked at Lois for a minute with a complicated expression in her eyes. "What's your mother like?"

A cloud passed over Lois' face. "I um, don't really know… she died. When I was seven. I remember thinking that she would come back. For about two years I kept saying she had just stepped out, was on a business trip or something because my dad left her clothes hanging up, her perfume on the dresser. It was like she had only gone to work for the day. I waited for her to come home at night. I got angry that she didn't. And then one day I just realised that she was really gone and wasn't coming back." She sniffed. Tess wanted to cry. "And the next day I put all of her dresses in boxes and her perfumes and handbags and… the General was so angry at me for what I'd done. He couldn't even speak."

"I'm so sorry." Tess said, staring at the jar of quince glaze she held, even though her vision had blurred up so much.

Lois gently put her hand over Tess' and strengthened it when she didn't flinch or pull away. "I'm not saying this to demean what you've gone through, Tess. I just want you to know that you're not alone… that I really do understand."

Tess didn't answer, she simply looked at Lois and for the first time the brunette saw a mass of emotions and thoughts in the red head's face that told her many things, that she was relieved and upset and grateful and forgiving. And when she could finally speak, her voice was so gummed up it was unintelligible. "I think we could do with coffee. And then I need to lie down."

The two women worked efficiently in the afternoon to organise the menu while the boys cut vegetables and seasoned the meat, discussing something that Tess picked up as Green Arrow and Red Blue Blur related. She left them to it, answering Lois' interrogation about her childhood in as vague and general statements as she could. Eventually though they had everything unpacked and organised and Tess let the three add their presents to the small pile under the tree. She smiled, unable to stop the childish thrill when she saw there were gift tags with her name on them.

After dinner, the boys retreated to the back lounge room with beer, and Sarah said she wanted to rest. Tess looked at Lois and shrugged, "do you want to watch a movie or something?"

"Ok." Lois nodded and Tess opened up the DVD draw, sitting in front of the television cabinet. Tess chose a few titles from the selection.

"What about Sex and the City? It's one of my favourites." Tess grinned, holding up the case for the first movie. "I have a copy of this film in all my houses."

"Yeah, ok." Lois agreed and the red head popped the disc in. "I wasn't much of a fan. I'll still watch it, don't worry, I'm just not avidly in love with it."

"I am. I have the entire series." She said, as she came to sit beside Lois on the sofa. "When I was at Harvard, Megan and I used to watch it because it was coming out on TV and she loved it."

"Who is Megan?" Lois asked as Carrie Bradshaw started narrating the film's opening credits.

Tess suddenly went pale. "You were in my room; she's the girl in all the photographs. She was my best friend. She died, the day I met Oliver." She blinked fiercely. "Sometimes I think I'm cursed. Everyone I love leaves me in some way."

Lois reached out and did something she had never done before. She hugged Tess. It was quick but when the red head pulled back she smiled and squeezed Lois' hand and they watched the movie in silence. When it was finished and the four women found their happy and fashionable ending, Lois stretched, yawned and stated that she was off to bed.

"Goodnight, Lois." Tess smiled, not moving from the couch. "I think I'll stay up a bit longer." She explained at Lois' questioning gaze.

She nodded, "Night, Tess." She bent and kissed Tess' forehead. Both women were a little surprised at Lois' sudden, maternal desire to look after the red head and she left the room swiftly. Tess sighed and turned off the television, opening the back door and stepping out into the cool night air. She inhaled the deep scent of the South. She didn't want to admit it, but she was home. It was where she grew up and no matter how much she resented and feared it; it was a part of her very being.

She turned when she sensed a presence behind her and saw her mother standing in the doorway. She offered a smile. "I feel like I'm sixteen and just been caught sneaking back into my room through the window at five am."

Sarah opened the back door and stepped out to join Tess. She cupped her chin in her soft hand. "You get more beautiful every time I look at you." she said and Tess blushed, even though the darkness hid it. She looked down and then back up.

"Do you really think that, mama?" she asked.

"I do. You always were the prettiest girl in Lake Charles." Tess withdrew from her and walked further into the garden. "What now?" Sarah sighed wearily, following Tess and catching up with her when she stopped on the end of the jetty. The dark water reflected the moon completely and it was suddenly very quiet. "Everything with you is this overly dramatic, everything is such a burdensome, what-are-you-all-doing-to-me, somebody-get-me-a-drink nightmare!"

Tess screamed with derisive laughter. "Everything with _me!_" she cackled. "You think that a few days at Christmas each year and telling me I'm pretty now is going to make up for everything you and that man did to me! How fucked up my life has been because I can't quite escape that! I could never be perfect when I was younger and I clearly can't be now!" there it was, the fight she had been aiming for all day, finally dragged out into the open.

"When have I ever wanted you to be perfect? When have I ever wanted you to be anything but yourself?" Sarah asked incredulously, looking torn between wanting to slap her daughter or hug her.

"I wasn't perfect so you left! I wasn't perfect so daddy drank and hit me! I wasn't perfect so Megan died, and Oliver cheated, and –" she stopped suddenly before she mentioned Lex or Zod. She shook her head from side to side, refusing to say anymore, shaking with rage at the past.

Sarah softened; her green eyes welled with tears. "Baby, none of that's your fault. Being perfect doesn't have anything to do with that." She whispered. "If I could have redone the past twenty years you know I would have stayed with you."

Tess flung her hand out, exasperated, "You were never there, mama!" she all but shouted, her voice sharp across the flat water. "You walked out, for so many years. I _needed_ my mom and you were _never_ there."

"That's not true, you watch your tone young lady!" Sarah snapped. She sighed and her hand stretched towards Tess, who gazed back coldly. She dropped her hand. "I'm sorry, Tessie. I always loved you. I tried to teach you some important lessons. About being strong and keeping your chin up and your skirt down."

"It wasn't enough."

"I was sick! I was in a mental hospital! How do you explain that to a six year old, Tess? Answer that one, Harvard!" She whispered angrily, turning away from Tess. She heard her say, 'mama, I'm sorry!', but ignored it, walking back up the jetty. On the back veranda she found Oliver, hanging uncertainly in the doorway. "Oh it's you dear." She said resignedly, stopping beside him.

"Were you talking to Tess?" he asked, looking at the slim, dark figure silhouetted against the night.

Sarah nodded, "Yes. My wild girl. Maybe you would be able to reach her, it seems that I can't. I missed too much." She patted his arm, "I'm going to bed, it has been a very long day."

Oliver heard her footsteps disappearing towards the house as he stepped onto the boardwalk. Tess was a tight bundle of hurt and resentment when he reached her side, her face incredible in the white glow.

"Penny for your thoughts?" he smiled. Tess tilted her head to look at him. She gave him a tiny, pale twitch of her lips and shook her head. "Mind if I talk then?"

"Would anything I say stop you?" she questioned her tone stuck between an attempt at their light banter and extremely sullen. She shrugged. "Why are you here, Oliver? Why did you have to bring Clark and Lois?" her questions were laced with agony. "I do not like show and tell and you bringing them here… this is _my_ home, my mother, I don't even have the right clothes to handle them in – you know I can't face the world if I'm in heels less than five inches! I have no defences here, Oliver. Can you see how bad you've made me look?"

Oliver tried to put his hand on her arm but she withdrew slightly and he let it go. "I thought it would be fun. What do you care what they think? When have you, Tess Mercer, Queen of the World, ever cared what people think about you?"

"I care when it's you." she whispered. "I care what _you_ think of me." She looked up and then away sharply at the expression in his eyes. "And I care when Lois is loading up her guns with fresh ammunition."

Oliver was about to defend Lois when Tess' expression made him shut up. "I'm sorry, then." He offered instead. "You said that you don't like being home at Christmas, or alone at Christmas and we thought we would join you for fun and provide a bit of backup." Tess smiled a little, then gave in and looked up at him. "You don't have to keep fighting everything alone, Mercy."

"I hate it when you do this to me." She whispered, her breath catching. Oliver stepped closer.

"Do what?"

She motioned at the air between them, "this. Show up and be all suave. Be just what I need. Even if I don't want to admit it."

Oliver smiled, leaning closer, "I make a special effort when it's you."

He kissed her, softly at first as if testing how far away from him she was going to jump. When she didn't move he pressed him mouth harder against hers, insistently, making her stand on her toes and grip his shoulders to match him. She pulled back. For a moment before she kissed him again. His hands went to her waist, lifting her up, off her feet and then setting her back down when she squealed softly against his mouth. "Oliver."

"Yep?"

She's not sure what she wanted to say. There's been so much between them, their collective mistakes and demons crumble around them, white hot, glittering ash. She shrugs and smiles. "I'm really glad you came." It's not untruthful.

"Your mother loves you, Tess." He said. She dropped her gaze to the dark water behind his shoulder and Oliver tipped her chin up so she would look at him. "What I mean, is that she's as nervous as you are. She's upset that she hurt you and she's trying. She just doesn't know how and you are…"

"Being difficult?" she supplied with venom beneath the surface of her words.

"Are not being helpful." He amended. "She loved you, but she had her own demons in those years."

"When did you get so insightful?" she asked, turning away to look out over the inky water. He shrugged, cupping her chin in his hand and tilting her face up for another kiss. He kissed down her throat, loving the soft sound she made as he sucked her skin, tasting salt and the faint burn of her perfume. Her hands were gingerly undoing his shirt buttons. Undressing him, undressing herself until they stood naked on the jetty. Her kisses went to his chest and his hands went to the countries of her body – at once familiar and undiscovered.

She pulled away and, his lips still burning for hers, he followed her as she slipped into the water. He swam beside her, her legs around his hips, everything burning hot against the cool water. Tess sighed; he couldn't get over how incredible it felt in the home of her body after so many years apart. She arched back, her hair floating on the surface of the water, a dark halo and Oliver gathered her up and kissed her, howling into her mouth.

XxX

How much time had passed? They weren't certain. It was getting colder and Tess had been resting her forehead against Oliver's shoulder.

"Are there alligators in this water?" he asked.

Tess drew back and said casually, "probably." And on a whim, dragged her foot ever so lightly along Oliver's calf. He yelped, half leaping out of the water.

"What the Hell was that?!"

They raced back to the shore, laughing and collapsed on the bank, inhaling the scent of earth and the trees and the clear water.

"Oh God, my clothes…" Tess moaned, sitting up but making no move to hide herself from him.

"I love you." Oliver said.

"I know you do." Tess answered after a long minute of silence. She kissed him, gently, sadly, and stood up, walking away. Oliver watched her, bright against the darkness as she gathered up her clothes from the boardwalk and redressed. He followed then, pulled his clothes back onto his wet body and followed her at a distance.

"Tess." He called softly as they closed the back door behind them and stood awkwardly in the living room. Her green eyes were unreadable. He looked up. "Mistletoe." He pointed.

"Merry Christmas, Oliver."

"Merry Christmas, Mercy."

She kissed him again, or he kissed her, they couldn't tell who started it but it was the blind, desperate, uncontrolled need for contact with which they rushed into each other's arms. Their tongues battled, her hands pulled him as close as was possible as he held her up, then held her down, trying frantically to soothe the ache that was tearing them both to shreds. When he pulled back she was crying. "Just lay beside me." He said, helped her towards the sofa. She kept hold of his hand and lead him silently through the house to her bedroom.

"I didn't mean what I said." She whispered, as they shed their clothes again, letting the damp items hit the floor. She crawled in beside him, "I'm not really angry that you all arrived. I… I haven't had a Christmas with friends for so long and…" she smiled at him in the darkness even though he couldn't see it. "I'm glad to spend it with you."

"Talk to your mother in the morning, Tess." He said, hearing her draw a breath. "You just need to talk. And let go."

"She abandoned me."

"Maybe she wanted to protect you, from a worse pain."

Tess didn't reply. She felt his arms wrap tighter around her and loved the closeness between them, the blaze where her skin touched his. He pulled her beneath him, sinking his weight onto her body.

"They'll hear us." She whispered, not letting him kiss her.

"So?" was his reply, his hands going to places that made her vision blur over. "I promise I'll be quiet. Can you?"

She started laughing and kissed him, arching her hips up as he slowly moved into her. The slowness of his movements, the illicitness of the act in the silent house made everything more exciting for Tess as Oliver teasingly clamped his wide hand over her mouth. She bit his palm, sucked his fingers into her mouth, feeling her blood get white hot as Oliver's hips jerked erratically against hers. Her own hand flew up to stifle his low groan as he shuddered. She saw stars and darkness her orgasm fizzed in her veins, trapped without violent screaming release, and he collapsed on top of her. Oliver loved the feel of her in his arms; it was like reclaiming a part of his own body that he hadn't known was missing.

He slept deeply, and in the morning she was gone.

XxX

"Tess is gone!" Oliver was shouting, waking up the whole house in the morning. Lois, her hair in a massive bird nest, was yawning as she came out of the guest bedroom.

"Whatchayellinbout?" she yawned widely. "Where's Tess?"

"I don't know! Does no one have a phone anymore?" Oliver was scattering wrapping paper and looking in jacket pockets for a phone.

"I have one, I'll call her." Lois said, getting her phone out of her bag and dialling Tess' number, which rang for ages as she flicked the kettle on to make coffee. "Hi, Tess!"

*Lois? Hi.*

"Hey. Um. Where are you?"

There was a long pause in which Lois added water and milk and flicked the phone onto speaker. *I'm in Baton Rouge*

"What are you doing in Baton Rouge?"

"What the Hell is she doing in Baton Rouge?" Oliver snapped, "Oi, Mercy, next time leave a note! You had us all worried."

"Tessie?" Sarah questioned as she entered the kitchen. "Tessie, where are you?"

*Hi Mama. Oliver, what's the point of leaving a note? I've only gone to do some shopping. I didn't foresee you arriving and even though I have half a mind to give you all coal, I'm getting presents for you guys. Just have to find something in this shop that isn't fucking hipster.* she explained briskly. *Now if you're done wasting my time…*

And the line went dead. "She hung up on me." Lois blinked, affronted, and sipped her coffee.

Sarah just shook her head, "Lois, be a sweetie and make an old lady a coffee?" she asked. "Don't worry about Tess, Oliver." She looked to the blond man. "She shops when she's happy and sad and confused. Sometimes escaping was just her way of coping. Oh thank you, love." She gratefully accepted the steaming mug of coffee from Lois. "When she was younger she would disappear for hours and I'd find her at the mall or up a tree somewhere. She never asked me for anything, I think only once and it was to wake her up early so she could get the train to Harvard." She sat down at the table. "I was so tempted to let her sleep in and miss the train. So that way I could have one more day with her, maybe to explain…" she looked at Oliver. "except I didn't and she left without looking back and two years later I had the police around here telling me she'd been attacked in Fiji and they assumed she was dead." A dark cloud passed her face and Lois went to sit beside the strawberry blond, sympathetically taking her hand. "I think I died that day. My baby girl was gone and I'd never really told her how much I loved her. And she hadn't said it to me in years."

"She loves you, Sarah." Oliver said quietly. Lois looked up and saw Clark watching her from the doorway. "When we first met, she said she wanted to redo the years. She missed you. You don't miss the things you don't love."

"She never told me." Sarah sniffed, getting up suddenly and sloshing brandy into her coffee. "The last time I heard it she was six years old, screaming for me not to leave her. She's never said it since."

Oliver put his arm around the older woman's shoulder, "Sometimes it gets harder to say, the more we love someone. I wish I'd told her I loved her more. Maybe it would have changed things."

Lois, who had been incredibly silent, suddenly got up and hurried out of the room. After a moment, Clark followed and found her in Tess' bedroom, staring at the pictures tacked to the walls and mirrors. Young Tess and the gorgeous Asian girl that must be Megan, pouting at the camera; holding cigarettes, not even looking at the camera but at something distant and fascinating; Tess with her hair dyed blue being kissed on both cheeks by Megan and a handsome boy with glasses.

"Lois?" Clark announced his presence, and she turned, her eyes all bright and glistening.

"I love you, Clark." She said in a rush as he pulled her into his arms. She tucked her head against his shoulder and let him hold her.

"I love you too, baby." He told her.

"Don't ever forget it. Don't ever let me not tell you I love you at least a hundred times a day."

Clark slipped his hands to the back of her neck and bent to kiss her, sweeping his tongue over her lips to deepen the kiss. He pushed her against the wall, trailing his mouth down her throat. Trying to show her how much he loved her, trying to tell her everything he didn't have the words to say. He remembered something Oliver once said about his island still being out there somewhere, and wrapped his hands in the pirate flag of her hair.

XxX

It was dark when Tess got home and very late by the time Oliver crept through the house to get a drink of water and found her sitting at the kitchen table, wrapping presents while reading a very dull Luthorcorp dossier.

"So, did you get me a present?" he asked, startling her so much she dropped the scissors. Tess turned to look at him, taking in his smooth, bare chest and low slung pyjama pants.

"Yes. But it's already wrapped so you can't peek. It's the box under the tree." She warned as he stepped closer to her, and Tess could feel his cool breath hitting the back of her neck. She tried to keep her hands steady, arranging a few books she'd bought for Clark on the wrapping paper. She was acutely aware of how close he was, of every centimetre of skin that blazed under his steady observation.

"Why do you always run?" he asked.

Tess bit her lower lip, flooding it white then crimson as she finished sealing the gift with tape. She stood up and took it and Lois' present and put them under the tree. The fairy lights glinted in her hair.

"I want to ask you something and I need you to answer me honestly." She said. Oliver approached and sat beside her in front of the tree. He looked up to the glittery star at the top.

"Anything."

"Are you going to remain involved with Chloe? Are you going to shag me at night and search for her by day?" her questions shocked him, and scared him a little. He knew what she was about to say and cut her off quickly.

"Mercy…" he covered her tiny hand with his. "My Mercy. Chloe once told me Christmas was her favourite time of year. She wanted to spend it with me and made all these plans… and it's Christmas Eve. She's not here and I don't think she's coming back." He looked so sad for a moment that Tess actually hated herself for hurting him. Then the expression faded and he smiled at her. "I think I knew that from the moment you told me you didn't write the email. I just didn't want to make it true."

Tess put her hand on his upper arm and brushed it comfortingly. She nodded and gently put her head against his arm. "I'm sorry I mentioned it. I'm just… I'm scared, Oliver."

"I don't know what I'd do without you." he mumbled into her red tresses and He put his arm around her waist and they sat like that for a while, until Tess was half asleep and Oliver was drunk off the scent of her hair.

"Tess." He nudged her gently, "come on, sweetie, let's go to bed." he gathered her up in his arms, hearing her mewl out a protest as he carried her through to her room. "Just tell me something, ok. Because its Christmas morning."

"Mm."

"Do you love me?"

She opened her eyes and fluttered her lashes slowly, sleepily and incredibly seductively. It was a long moment before Tess stretched forwards until her lips brushed the tight whorl of his ear. "I. Love. You. I love you so much I'm terrified sometimes."

XxX

The five languished in the wrapping paper strewn chaos of Christmas morning, opening presents and laughing. Tess had added vodka to everyone's juice and no one could be bothered to look at the kitchen, let alone clean up the scrambled egg breakfast remains, too intent on ripping through the gifts.

"Mama, you shouldn't have!" Tess was delighted when she unwrapped her present and 'Marine Biology: An Ecological Approach' and 'Marine Life of the North Atlantic' fell into her lap.

Sarah smiled, she was already wearing the blue stone earrings Tess had bought her and was reading through the novels and DVD cases. She thanked Oliver, Lois and Clark for their gifts of fine bourbon and a recipe book.

"OLIVER!" Tess was speechless over the blue Tiffany and Co. box and her green eyes were wide at the diamond necklace within. "This is beautiful" she whispered and kissed him. Rolling her eyes as Lois wolf whistled at them.

"Are you two together now?" she asked.

Tess blushed and shrugged, but Oliver put his arm around her shoulders and said, "Yes. We are."

"Finally!" Lois whistled again.

"Shut up, you. I have presents for you three." She grinned, handing out the boxes.

Clark was impressed with his novels and Tess liked the Marcel Proust 'In Search of Lost Time' he'd given her. Oliver loved the Cartier watch. But Lois was the happiest of them and screamed when she ripped open the wrapping paper to reveal a box printed with CHANEL. Inside was a gorgeous, classic black handbag, the shiny leather embossed with a pattern of camellias.

Tess smiled, genuinely pleased at Lois' joy. "I thought it was about time you had a piece of Chanel for yourself."

"I love it! Thank you, thank you!" she launched herself into the redhead's arms and hugging her fiercely.

Tess squeaked and patted her back awkwardly when Lois didn't let her go. "Ok, Lois… Merry Christmas… seriously let go now. I can't breathe!"

The group laughed and Oliver helped Tess get a light lunch together while Lois was enthusiastic but useless, parading around with her bag and examining it from every angle in every reflective surface. Tess and Oliver put the food out and she smiled at him from across the table. "Best Christmas ever." She said.

"Agreed."

After lunch the young adults collapsed in the living room. Tess was eyeing the liquor cabinet and Lois was playing with the radio station, clicking through until music blared.

"I love this song!" Tess exclaimed when she recognised the tune. She jumped and up and joined Lois in the middle of the floor, singing, "_I'll promise you, I'll kiss your crown when life takes me down!" _

Lois sung too, dragging the boys to their feet. Tess was suddenly having fun. The four of them in her living room, dancing and singing and laughing. It was the best feeling when Oliver grabbed her hands and twirled her around a few times, eventually letting her stop to catch her mouth in a dizzy kiss.

_I saved my last dance for you, my friend!_

They pulled away, grinned and kept on dancing. Somewhere towards the end of the track, Tess was aware that Sarah was watching them all from the doorway. She didn't hesitate and extended her hand her, "Come and dance, Mama!" she shouted. Sarah stepped towards her daughter, catching her hand and following her lead in the dance. She knew her daughter loved her, even if she didn't say it out loud.

They were all islands in the sky. Her mother, Clark and Lois, Oliver and even herself. Within them were places Tess had never travelled, and places she had been. Maybe with her mother Tess would never fully understand the customs and history, but she realised that it didn't prevent her from loving and forgiving her. Maybe she would never travel through Lois and Clark the way she had travelled through Oliver. Maybe she would never truly belong to each as a whole, but within the fragments and the lines that marked borders and boundaries between them, there was a complete home.

_I got my light in my hands and your love in my heart; I saved my last dance for you…_

Fin


End file.
